The trip to Bologna was a good one. I met new people at every meal, many of them leaders of the field. I learned new information and was invited to present more research and perhaps even write a book chapter. All of this took place over some of the best food in the world, in ancient stone buildings. Now that's the way work should be!
One of the first times Cheri showed me that she really liked me was when she served my roommate and I Nutella on toast. My roommate and I laughed and laughed - what is Nutella? What kind of name is that anyway?
Ravenna had incredible mosaic pictures in its 5th and 6th century churches. The one here shows Abraham's life, where he served lunch to the three angelic messangers, and then later was willing to sacrifice Isaac. Notice God's hand coming out of the sky to stop his sword. This picture doesn't come close to showing the way it really looks. The picture was dark, and the software that lightened it up also made it grainy. I bought a book with professional photos, but even they don't really show you what it's like. Ya just gotta see the mosaics in person.
Lots of scooters lined the streets. The Europeans have the right idea for that - they get over 80 miles per gallon. There's a scooter shop in Boise that's been doing good business since the gas prices climbed so high. The streets in Bologna were more conducive for safe scooter riding than Boise, though.
As we decended the stairs inside the tower, my friend said it reminded him of an M.C. Escher drawing. It was funny, because I was about to say the say the exact same thing. Did Escher spend any time in Bologna?
This is looking south from the top of the tower. A lot of the green is from gardens.
This is another view of the tower. I took this picture from the place where I'd almost been pick-pocketed the day before. I turned around, and a guy had his hand in my backpack. When he pulled it out, my camera fell on the ground. It still worked, and nothing else was stolen.
In ancient times, the rich families built towers. We weren't sure why; I thought it might be to get some air conditioning on hot days from the breeze at the top. Some friends and I climbed the stairs in the one on the right. It was 87 meters high and gave a wonderful view of the whole region at the top. We could see other towers scattered across the city, rising above the other buildings.
As I took this picture, an older gentleman stood outside his apartment behind me and said I should go inside the church. I already had on a previous day, but I went again. It was beautifully decorated, with many alcoves containing paintings and sculptures of Jesus' life. A small mass was in session, so I sat in the back of the sanctuary and watched the candles and listened to the singing echoing from the high walls and ceiling. I prayed with them, even though I couldn't understand their language. It was refreshing.
This is one of the courtyards where we would get fresh air and refreshments between presentation sessions. It's also where we'd eat lunch. Although, sometimes I went to restaurants for lunch when invited by special groups.
I ate lunch each day in a courtyard buffey with the other conference delegates. Here's a typical dish consisting of meat, beans, a breadstick, rice, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and fruit. The company at the lunches was even better than the food.
The inside of the hotel was elegant, but not as fancy as the really ritzy hotel where some of my friends stayed. Still, I liked the cheerful wallpaper, and it was very comfortable. The staff was friendly, the rooms were clean, and the breakfasts were fulfilling. It was Hotel Regina. My door is at the end of the hall in this picture.
The busses cruised down allies like this, not at a break-neck speed, but fast enough to feel like a carnival ride. I'd hope to keep my bearings as I rode the bus, but after twisting and turning down narrow passages for a few minutes, I was lost and had to just hope the bus driver knew where he was going. The street names are on the sides of the buildings on the corners, so you have to look just in the right place at the right time to see them.
This is the lot behind my hotel. It stayed open like this most of the week, but when I looked on Friday morning, the place was filled with vendors setting up tents and opening awnings that electrically unfolded like fans from the tops of their vans. I bought Cheri a nice dress for 10 euros on Saturday.
